Lock for explosion engines



' R. C. AND ERTON. LOOK FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES- APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, I920.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

INVENTOR.

UNITED s'rarizs' ATENT oF-Fics.

ROBERT C. ANDERTONQOE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNQR O1" ONE-HALF TO GEORGE H. FIFTY, G1? SAN FRANCISCO, GALEFORNIA.

LOCK FOP, EXPLOSION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patgnted Mar. 21, 1922.

Application filed hpril 20, 1920. Serial No. 375,280.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bonner (l. Armnn'rorr, a citizen of the United States residing at San Francisco, in the county oi San Francisco, State of Caliii'ornia, have invented a new and useful Lock for Explosion Engines of which the "following is specification in such full and clear terr s as will enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

This invention; relates to a lock for the ignition system of explosion engines and its object is to provide means whereby the car owner may prevent the o1i eration of the car in such a manner as to make it substantially impossible to operate the car by unlawful. tampering with the ignition system.

It will be understood by-thoso skilled in the art. that in the operation of multiple cylinder engines that use the jump spark ignition system, that a single wire extends from the spark plug to the magneto. or other spark producing apparatus and that the sparks must occur on the several spark plugs in a particular order in order for the engine to be operated.

In the present instance means is provided to prevent the operation of the sparking system. which means is permanently attached to some convenient portion oi? the car. and the ignition system is cut in two to eliminate this lock a considerable amount or time must be taken up in ascertaining the proper relation of the spark producing apparatus to the series of engine cylinders in order to run the engine, so that the likelihood of the car being stolen by cutting out or eliminating this locking system. is remote.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the car driver may ascertain at a glance it the spark plugs are all operating properly, and to immediately ascertain which individual spark plug is not operating as it should in order to renew it or to correct the difficulty.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which. the same reference numeral is applied to the same portion throughout, but I am aware that there may be modifications thereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the engine showing the ignition system and this lock applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of this locking device.

Fig. 3 is a front elcvational of this locking device, V Fig. a is an end elevation. of the locking device.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the locking device and showing it as it appears applied to the dashboard of the car. The numeral 1 indicatesthe engine cylinder block. 2 the magneto and 3 the series of cables which extend to the lock casing i. From the lock casing a a seriesot cables return to the engine and connect with the several spark plugs as indicated at 6 to ll inclusive. lhe engine shown has six eylin tlOlFj, although the invent-ion is applicable to an engine havingany numberot cylinders.

The lock casing comprises a fibre cylinder llZlVlIlg holes 12 to 15 inclusive, through which the bolts 16 are passed to secure the lock to the dashboard 17 ot' the vehicle. The fibre cylinder is provided with a glass front 15% through which the spark points 19 and 90 oil which there are six opposed pairs, one pair for each of the magneto wires can be seen and which s iarking points are separated sufiiciently to allow the fibre plate 2i to pass between them.

The fibre plate 21 slides in grooves 22 and fi in the cylinder i and the slide is movable on an arm on the end oi the cylinder. The arm 25 has a hole 26 therein and the slide 21 has a hole 97 to receive the shackle 28 on a padlock 29, although the kind of lock used forms no part of the'invention.

When the car is to be operated. the slide 21 is removed to the position indicated in Fig. 2, at which time the sparks are free to pass from the points 20 to the points 19 of tne entire series, and they are jumped across these points as well as across the points of the spark plugs.

lVhen the car is to be locked against operation the slide 21 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3. thereby preventing the sparks from passing from the points 20 to the points 19 and of course preventing the sparks from passing across the points of the several spark plug 4 Since it is diflicult to ascertain in a few minutes the proper relationship of the Wires 3 to the several series of wires 5, it is very difficult to operate the car by eliminating the locking cylinder 4 from the ignition circult.

This being accomplished only after a eon siderable amount of testing of the firing order of all of the cylinders of a given engine. a

By separating the points 19 and 20 as indicated, the intensity of the spark on the spark plugs is increased and at the same time, if any spark plug does not operate properly, that fact is indicated by an e):-

amination of the sparks made on the points 7 respectively, an insulating slide adapted to pass between the ends of the pairs of electrodesto prevent the current from passing between said electrodes and 'a lock for pre venting the removal of said insulating means at will 2. An ignition lock for explosion engines comprising an insulated block, a series of pairs of sparking electrodes carried thereby, said block having a window for observing the same, wires for connecting said electrodes with the source of electric current supply and with the spark plugs respectively, and an insulating slide adapted to pass between the ends of the pairs of electrodes to prevent the current from passing between said electrodes. i

3. An ignition lock for explosion engines comprising an insulated block, a series of pairs of sparking electrodes carried thereby, a window along the front of said block for observing the condition 01": sparking of all of the said electrodes, Wires connecting said electrodes with the source of electric current supply and with the spark plugs respectively,

an insulated slide adapted to move between all of said electrodes to prevent them from sparking and a lock for securing said slide in said position to prevent the operation of the engine.

4:. An ignition lock for explosion engines comprising a support a series of pairs of sparking electrodes carried thereby, wires for connectin said electrodes with a source b or electric current supply and with the spark plugs of the engine, and manually operated means to. prevent the current from passing between said electrodes. 7 V a In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this day of April A. D. 1920.

ROBERT C. ANDERTON. 

